HYDERABAD: Justice N Tukaramji of the Telangana high court has quashed criminal proceedings against a man accused of cheating a woman by allegedly backing out of a promise to marry her. Allowing the criminal petition filed by the accused, the judge held that the allegations did not meet the legal requirements to constitute offences under sections 417 and 420 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).The case originated from a 2019 complaint in which the woman alleged that the man had proposed marriage but later withdrew, citing objections from his parents. She claimed the broken promise caused her severe emotional distress, leading her to attempt suicide. A police case was subsequently registered, and a chargesheet was filed. Counsel for the petitioner argued that the matter involved, at most, a failed promise to marry-which by itself does not amount to cheating or dishonest inducement, essential elements under section 420 IPC. The continuation of criminal proceedings, the counsel contended, would amount to an abuse of the legal process. The prosecution, however, maintained that the complaint was supported by witness statements and warranted a full trial. After reviewing the facts and relevant legal precedents from the high courts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, Justice Tukaramji ruled that the complaint did not establish any fraudulent or dishonest intent at the time the promise was made. The judge observed that there was no indication the petitioner had induced the complainant to deliver property or take any action she would not have otherwise taken but for the alleged deception-criteria required to establish cheating under section 415 IPC.“The complaint lacks the foundational elements necessary to constitute an offence of cheating. There is no prima facie material to proceed against the petitioner,” the judge said. Accordingly, the high court quashed the criminal proceedings .
